


In The Dark

by Invah



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dungeons & Dragons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 14:57:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5094926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Invah/pseuds/Invah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dirk and Jake explore a trench for their latest quest. Things do not go as well as Dirk had planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yurikra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yurikra/gifts).



> This is just a short thing for mine and Jude's AU of Dirk and Jake. Which we originally made for a D&D campaign for our RP group. Which has officially gotten way out of hand between the two of us. So out of hand that I am writing fics for it and drawing art. I have nothing to say for myself.

“I say, it's awfully dark down this trench. We should have thought to carry more than just this torch with us!”

Jake's voice echoed off the walls in the tunnel, right after the sounds of their shoes slapping against the rocky, muddy floor. “But then we wouldn't have hands available to carry all the sick loot we're gonna find.” Dirk responded quietly, keep his eyes peeled for anything suspicious. It was too dark too see anything further than arms length; even the light from the fire in his hand barely did much to illuminate the way. In places like this, a person needed their senses high on alert. All kinds of possibilities lurked in the dungeon, ranging from traps to monsters to treasure.

If they were lucky, it'd simply be some snake traps and a chest full of shiny daggers to sell back in town.

“Eyes on the prize as always, ay Strider?” Dirk couldn't see the other man behind him, but he could hear the grin in his voice. Unlike his much livelier companion, the blonde remained impassive. Blood in the face messed with ones ears and sight; he was better off without expressing such things. It wasn't like he was much of a charismatic person anyway. Nothing gained, nothing lost. He was the epitome of cool, calm, and collected. All three of the c's. He was a triple threat.

The two came to a stop once they reached a fork in the path. On the left, one tunnel seemed to led down a mineshaft, tracks beginning at it's entrance. The other, to the right, was a dirt walkway, but with a wider spread space between the walls. “Shh.” Dirk raised a hand, signaling Jake to remain quiet. The other complied without question, taking a single step back.

This was normal. The duo usually conducted their adventures in such a manner. Dirk was the eyes and ears, stealthy and quick, while Jake handled smells and strength, able to chitchat his way out of any bind the two found themselves in; and if that didn't work, there were always his guns. Figuratively and literally. They were a pretty good mix. It was all part of the routine they'd managed to make for themselves ever since they were just kids. 

Strider and English, Adventure Extraordinaires.

“Not that I don't trust your judgment, since you've always had a knack for being on point...” Jake began, sneaking up behind Dirk and standing a bit too close for the blonde's comfort. It was a habit that the rogue chastised him for far too many times. Messed with his concentration. “I do have a gut feeling about something. Though, I'm not exactly sure what!”

Dirk raised an eyebrow at that. “The right is the safer route. Logically speaking, the mineshaft has more obstacles to avoid, possibly a set up for a tunnel collapse since there doesn't seem to be any beam support,” he stated, pointing toward the ceiling of it, which had been missing its roof. Like he said. “The dirt path gives us more room to work with, plus-”

Jake cut him off by clearing his throat, a silent request for him to shut up and listen. Dirk simply twitched an eyebrow, waiting for the other to continue. “Of course, and the observation is quite amazing, as it always is! But I have a feeling that, well, maybe _neither_ choice is the way to go.” Dirk could hear the lift in his voice, as if even Jake were uncertain about the idea he was throwing down.

Which was a very _stupid_ idea. “That doesn't make any sense. What the hell are we supposed to do if neither path is the right way? Do you see any other choices here, English?” He sighed through his nose, splaying a hand against the wall in search of a hilt for the torch. Unfortunately, there were none, so he settled on handing the thing over to Jake instead, turning to face him. The other man took it, giving a small shrug in response to accompany the sheepish smile on his face.

“Well, no, but that shouldn't deter us! What about a _hidden_ path? It's surely possible that there might be one around here, yes?” Dirk watched him step aside and begin inspecting the walls, running the fingers of his free hand over the cobblestone.

“In a place like this?” He allowed himself to frown, reaching into his back pouch to retrieve a dagger. Dirk tapped the jagged blade along the opposite wall, searching for anything that might have been a crease or frame for a door. “This shitty job doesn't pay enough for me to go looking for hidden passageways.” Jake responded with a laugh.

“Oh Dirk, don't try to pretend like you aren't going to hassle the poor man out of a few extra boons once we return, regardless.”

“Hey, I have to keep us fed, don't I?”

 

He didn't _really_ expect there to be a hidden door in the narrow trench.

The worst part about this scenario wasn't Dirk being wrong, but that the fucking slab opened outwards in the path. From below their shins. Meaning they had to lug the damn thing out of the wall while sitting in the mud. “This blows.” The rogue deadpanned, kneeling down and unsheathing the longsword on his back to jam it into one side of the slab. There was never a problem that couldn't be solved with a sword. Especially a longsword. Jake crouched on the other side of the stone, setting down the torch and gripping in with his fingers. Between their efforts, the slab slowly slid out of the gap, putting up quite the resistence.

“That sure was a bother!” Jake whistled, shaking his hands out and massaging his palms.

“Agreed.” The crawlspace was big enough for them to fit through, one at a time, obviously. By the time this quest was over he was going to need a new sword _and_ a new wardrobe. “I'll go first.” Dirk announced, already crawling towards the opening.

“Now wait one confounded minute there, Strider!” Jake pouted. “I'd like to lead the expedition, considering _I_ was the one to suggest looking for a third option, and then found it!” He jabbed at himself with a thumb, making Dirk roll his eyes behind the mask he wore over his face. The brunet wouldn't have been able to see it, so he gave an emphasized shrug as well.

“Yeah, right. Like I'm going to be caught behind you and your captivating ass of wonders. I've seen what you do to people. Think again.”

It was Jake's turn to roll his eyes. “Right, then how about we draw for it?” He held out his fist expectantly.

“You're wagering my chastity here, dude. What would your Goddess think?” Despite his rebuttal, Dirk extended his hand in return. “This'll be a story to tell at the tavern. Imagine the headlines. Rogue jeopardizes mission due to gunslingers perfect glutes.” They shook their fists. One, two, draw. Paper covers rock. Jake was so easy to read. “I can picture our client's face when we show up empty handed, except for you carrying my zombie-fied body over your shoulder due to my incapability to sustain consciousness after falling victim to the hypnotic movements of Jake English's buns.” Rock beats scissors. “The round is mine.”

“You really are a foul player, you know that?” Jake narrows his eyes, but the pink dusting his cheeks takes away from whatever look he was trying to convey.

“I play to win. Leave the torch, it won't fit.” The corner of his mouth twitches in a smirk as Dirk turns to the hole, getting on his hands and knees. “Let's go, Apple Bottom Buttercup.”

“Jiminy Crickets, can you not do the nicknames thing this time? They're awfully humiliating.” He can hear the other trudging behind him as they work their way through the crawl space. It's a lot tighter than Dirk expected it to be, and the mud makes it difficult to drag his knees along the ground, which only seems to get thicker the further they go. With every inch he spreads his hands over the floor, searching for any signs of something suspicious. It's just mud, mud, and more mud.

And then something springs from the wet dirt, covered in muck with glowing purple eyes along it's body. “Shit.” Dirk stops short, grumbling only slightly when Jake's head collides with the side of his rump. “Wow, can you control yourself, please? I'm like, dealing with something here.”

Jake growls. “Come off it with your damn butt jokes already and move!” Dirk obliges, regardless of having more witty things he could come up with. The monster's body is thin but drips with grime, lighting up the space around them with it's dozen luminescent eyes. Its jaw opens wide like a snake and it lunges for Dirk first when he rolls onto his back.

Swift and precise, he jabs the familiar in its neck with the tips of his fingers, momentarily stunning it. It's a pretty weak thing - low level, the stone it'll drop when they've exterminated it would barely be worth a loaf of bread – and Jake is quick in drawing his gun, taking aim. Dirk covers his ears instinctively (it's going to be a bitch in this tunnel), before the gunslinger fires a shot into the monster. It cries out, making an ugly, gurgling sound when the bullet pierces it's skin and bursts inside of its body. 

But it's not dead.

It hobbles back, sinking under the mud to hide. 

“Consarn it, get back here!” Jake attempts to give chase, climbing over Dirk, and the blonde's thoughts come to a very abrupt halt when the others knee presses against an area _it really shouldn't have been_ between his thighs. “I'll have you, blasted thing!”

“Whoa.” Dirk's tone is flat, but his voice wavers slightly. This is too close for comfort, with Jake practically grinding his knee into his crotch and their chests inches apart. Not that he really minded this. The problem was that he _didn't_.

Sure, he'd planned on telling his childhood friend about the feelings he harbored for him eventually, but this was not going to be the time he did it. And he especially wasn't going to reveal it just because they were caught in an awkward position. Dirk needed to remain cool. He was in control. Definitely in control. Everything could be layered and pushed down with buckets of sarcasm, and Jake would never know what the fuck this was doing for him. “Easy there, cowboy. You haven't even told me your _name_ yet.” 

Jake finally looks down, and judging by the expression he makes, it's safe to say he's equally as mortified. Though more visibly so. “Oh. _Oh!_ Gadzooks, I'm so sorry, Dirk!” He stammers, backing up.

They've known each other long enough that it isn't awkward when Dirk grunts and reaches down to adjust himself. “It's whatever.” It's not, but, _whatever_. He clears his throat and props himself onto his elbows. It really is terribly cramped in here. Time for a distraction. “What happened to the familiar?”

Jake blinks several times before nervously laughing, stuffing his gun back into its holster. “Seems it scampered off somewhere to nurse its wounds. I missed it's mouth by a hair, or else it would've been done for! Sorry again, old chap.” He offers Dirk a smile.

The blonde simply shrugs, pressing a hand against the wall for support. “Out of sight, out of mind. Let's work on getting out of h-” Something clicks under his palm.

Oh, come _on_.

Dirk really should have figured there'd be some bullshit trapdoor shenanigans in a crawlspace tunnel, but in his defense he wasn't really thinking straight at the moment.

He was thinking even less when the ground gave out beneath him, and he was falling, then tumbling, and Jake was crying out some nonsense above him between winces and yelps.

And then his head hit something hard, and Dirk was sure his mask had shattered on impact, but he didn't have a chance to check because he blacked out.

Something was shaking him. Not hard, but enough to pull him back into consciousness. His head ached and he groaned, winching weakly as he lifted a hand to his temple. There was bandage wrapped tightly around his poor cranium, damp and sticky. Shit, he was going to need stitches.

He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, reaching his hands out now to feel for his human companion. His hand brushed across familiar straps, over the stupid bow tie on his collar, and made their way to his arms. Haha, wow, his senses were really fucked; his ears were ringing and pulsing along to his throbbing headache. “Jake?”

“Dirk! Thank goodness... You took some header on our way down.”

He doesn't realize how cold he is until Jake's hands are on his face, thumbs rubbing his cheeks and up to his ears in soothing patterns. Warm, ungloved, and slightly calloused. It feels nice, so he inhales slowly and relaxes into the touch as his best friend gently massages Dirk's aches away. “How long was I out for?” The half-elf takes a moment to assess his current position. He's laying on the wet ground, but there's something folded and tucked under his head to elevate it. A jacket? He's got his cloak wrapped tightly around his body, so he assumes that it's Jake's. A few strokes on the other's arms and he can confirm that yes, it is.

“A couple hours. It's got to be evening by now.” Dirk hears him shift closer, prying open his eyes just barely enough to look up at Jake. The lighting was sort of better in the new area, but it was still dim. At least he was finally able to see his friend. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.” He grunts, grabbing onto Jake in an attempt to pull himself up. The other man makes a small sound in protest, but allows this regardless. “We need to keep moving. Kinda on a time limit here.”

“I really don't think you should be walking yet.”

He scoffed, pushing himself up to his feet and looking around. Seemed like they'd fallen into a cave. “I don't really want to sleep in a cavern tonight. Romantic lighting notwithstanding, the bedding is garbage.” He pats himself down, dusting off the dried mud on his clothes. Disgusting. “And I'm not too excited about waking up to having my shit wrecked by a thing with eiight arms.”

Jake gave a chuckle from the ground before he stood, grabbing his jacket and slinging it over his shoulder. It was probably filthy and bloody because of Dirk. He felt a bit bad. “Then I'll lead us from here. You're in no condition to do _the Strider thing_.” He clapped a hand over Dirk's shoulder. Eugh.

“We're gonna die.”

“I wouldn’t allow it!”


End file.
